Baylor Preview Capsule

Oct 27, 2017 - 6:15 PMBaylor
Last season: 27-8, NCAA Sweet 16.
Nickname: Bears.
Coach: Scott Drew.
Conference: Big 12.
Who's gone: F Johnathan Motley, the team's top scorer and rebounder (17.3 points, 9.9 rebounds per game), G Al Freeman, G Ishmail Wainright.
Who's back: PG Manu Lecomte is the top returning scorer at 12.2 points with 3.8 assists a game. The former Miami transfer from Belgium was the Big 12 Newcomer of the Year last season; 7-foot F Jo Lual-Acuil Jr. (9.2 points, 6.7 rebounds, 2.5 blocks per game), a sixth-year senior; F Terry Maston, who scored 19 points in each of Baylor's first two NCAA Tournament games; G King McClure, a 3-point shooting threat; G Jake Lindsey; and F Nuni Omot.
Who's new: F Tristan Clark, a Class 6A player of the year after his senior year at San Antonio's Wagner High; G Tyson Jolly sat out last year after originally signing with California, but got his release after a coaching change; high-flying freshman F Mark Vital; 7-foot F Leonard Allen.
The Skinny: With three key starters back from a Sweet 16 team, including the point guard and the big man who keeps improving, Drew has a team that should be in the upper half of the Big 12 again. And that should be good enough for their eighth NCAA bid in 11 years.
___
For more AP college basketball coverage: http://collegebasketball.ap.org and http://twitter.com/AP_Top25